Why are federal investigators interested a phrase used by executives at FCA?

If you think the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' sales probe couldn't take an unexpected turn, then you would be wrong. The Wall Street Journal reports that federal investigators are asking questions about a phrase that was used by various executives to dealers and regional sales managers.

According to sources, executives at FCA would use the phrase “unnatural acts department” during conference calls and one-on-one conversations. This phrase was to convey to dealers and regional sales managers to get more sales before the end of the month. Such solutions included selling vehicles at a loss or asking dealers to buy a number of vehicles that would be used for test-drives with customers. Investigators are trying to figure out if the phrase was used a way to rally the troops to meet sales targets or a key piece of evidence of whether or not FCA executives deceived the public by using this phrase to tell dealers to falsify sales numbers.

As we reported back in July, FCA is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission over their sales reporting practices. The investigation stems from dealers in Florida and Illinois suing the company for falsifying sales numbers. In the same month, FCA admitted the sales streak that supposedly lasted for 75 months only lasted for 40 months. The company also changed how it reported sales numbers.